Combination fuse and plug



June 5, 1928.

W. B. MOSS, JR., ET AL COMBINATION FUSE {AND PLUG Filed June 14, 1926 Patented June 5, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,672,620 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. MOSS, JR, AND MODESTO L. ARDISANA, F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

COMBINATION FUSE AND PLUG.

Application filed June 14, 1926. Serial No. 115,846.

This invention relates to connectors for electric conductors and more specifically to plugs particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in its use, for connecting the feed wires of smallelectrical apparatus to a service or supply current by inserting the plug into a wall socket or a socket of the ordinary incandescent light, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved plug of this character having incorporated therein a fuse, and which fuse may be readily renewed when fused.

A further object is toprovide an improved plug of this character embodying separable members so that the part carrying the contacts for engagement with the contacts of the socket plug may be readily detached and attached without injury to the fuse element, and without subjecting the fuse element to wear by the insertion and removal of the contact member.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical lon 'tudinal sectional view taken on line 1-1, igure 2, of a device of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 2-2, Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the fuse element.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral 10 designates generally a plug which is provided with sockets 11-12.

A washer 13 is provided with a spring terminal 14 that extends into the socket 12 and is preferably shaped to form a socket 14 The washer is held in position by means of a contact sleeve or ring 15 which encompasses the plu and which sleeve is provided with threads "or engaging in the threads of the wall or lamp socket.

A spring contact terminal 16 is secured by one end preferabl in a recess 17 in the plug by means of a astening screw 18, the extremity of the terminal 16 being shaped to form a socket 19 by bending the extremity 20 of the terminal ack upon itself. The

terminal l6'is secured in position in such a manner that the socket 19 will extend into the socket 11 of the plug for any desired distance.

A fuse member 21 is preferably provided with a head or shoulder 22 preferably made separately therefrom and attached thereto and which abuts the end of the plug and the body of the fuse extends through an opening 23 in the plug, the extremity 24 of the fuse being bent back upon itself so as to enter the socket 11 in the plug between the wall of the socket and the extremity 20 of the contact terminal 16. The terminal 16 being resilient will hold the end of the fuse 21 against the wall of the socket 11, thereby cooperating with the fuse 21 to form an extension of the terminal 16, the end of the fuse being adapted to engage one of the contacts in the wall or lamp socket.

An auxiliary plug 25 is connected with the end of a conductor26, and is provided with spaced projecting contacts 27. These contacts 27 are adapted to enter the sockets 11 and 12 in the plug 10 so that one of the contacts 27 will engage the spring contact terminal 14 in the socket 12, and the other of the contacts 27 will enter the seat or socket 19 in the terminal 16.

When the fuse blows the circuit will be interrupted and the auxiliary plug 25 ma be detached by withdrawing the contacts 2 from the plug, after which the fuse 21 may be renewed.

With this construction it will be manifest that there is provided a safety plug having a fuse incorporated therein, and the fuse is electrically connected with the spring terminal 16 in such a manner that the fuse will not be injured by one of the contacts 27 rubbing thereagainst duringthe insertion and removal of the contacts 27 from the plug 10, and the end of the fuse will not be withdrawn or displaced by the removal of the contact terminal 27.

With this improved construction it will be manifest that there is provided a simple, durable and eflicient device which may be readily repaired, when the fuse blows, without necessitating the services of an expert and without necessitating the dismantling of the arts of the lug.

hile the preferred form ofthe invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the i within the scope of the claims,

several parts,

from the spirit of this ina tip contact to engage a contact in the socket, a portion of the last said member being shaped to form a socket, the other end of the fuse element having contact with said socket, and an auxiliary plug having projecting contacts connected thereto, one of said contacts being adapted to be seated inthe said socket formed by one of the said terminal members.

2. A separable electric connector embodying a plug adapted to be inserted into an electric socket,-said plug having receiving sockets therein, a contact member extending into one of the sockets in the plug, a fuse extending through the plug, a head on one end of the fuse, said head forming a tip contact to engage a contact in the a socket, the other end of the fuse extending into the other socket and constituting a portion of the other contact member, an additional contact member extending into the same socket and contacting with the said fuse, said additional contact member being shaped to form a seat, and an auxiliary plug having projecting contacts connected thereto and adapted to be seated in each of the sockets in the plug, one of the said projecting contacts being adapted to be seated in the said seat and out of direct contact with said fuse.

3. A separable electric connector embodying a plug adapted to be inserted into an electric socket, said plug having receiving sockets, a spring terminal contact extending into each of the sockets, a portion of one of said terminals within one of the sockets being bent back upon itself to form a seat, a fuse, a head on one end of the fuse, said head forming a contact, another portion of 4. A separable electric connector embodying a plug adapted to be inserted into an electric socket, sockets in the plug, a terminal sleeve encompassing the plug and embodying a spring terminal projecting therefrom and into one of said sockets, a fuse extending through one end of the plug, one end of the fuse extending into and terminating within the other socket, a terminal member extending into the other socket, one end of the last said member being folded upon itself Within the socket and contacting with the fuse, an auxiliary plug, projecting contacts carried thereby and adapted to enter the sockets in the first said plug, one of the said projecting contacts being adapted to be seated between the said folds of the contact member and out of direct contact with the adjacent portion of the fuse.

5. A separable connector embodying a plug adapted to be inserted into an electric socket, said plug having receiving sockets, a spring terminal extending into each of the sockets, a portion of one of said terminals in one of the sockets being bent back upon itself to form a seat, a fuse extending into the plug from the outside thereof, a head on said fuse, said head constituting a terminal adapted to engage a contact within the first said socket, another portion of the fuse ex tending into the respective receiving socket in the plug and contacting with the outer wall of the said socket formed in-the spring terminal, an auxiliary plug, and spaced projecting contacts carried by the said auxiliary plug, one of said projecting contacts being seated in the socket in the terminal formed by the bent back portion of the terminal.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, on this 9th day of June, A. D. 1926.

WILLIAM B. MOSS, JR.

MODESTO L. ARDISANA. 

